Event participation

ABSTRACT

Methods, devices and systems are provided for event participation. One method embodiment includes a method for generating income for an owner of an entrant to an event. The method includes defining the event by the owner. The method further includes offering remuneration based upon a fulfillment of the defined event. The remuneration can be memorialized by a remuneration right. The remuneration can be granted from the owner to a participant. And, the remuneration right is granted in exchange for the participant accepting to give consideration to the owner for receiving the remuneration.

INTRODUCTION

This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/007,448, filed Dec. 7, 2004, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/533,208, filed Dec. 30, 2003, the entirecontent of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Hobbyist and sports enthusiast often develop a certain affinity orloyalty to contestants, entrants, and/or objects connected to variousevents. For example, in NASCAR auto racing race fans often pull for aparticular driver or car; in thoroughbred horse racing, spectators oftenplace wagers on and pull for particular horses; in the collectibles,antiques, and auction markets collectors and/or art patrons follow thebidding and sale of objects of art or other types of collection pieces;and in the NFL football fans follow the success of their favorite teamin hopes that their team may win the Superbowl. Often the volume ofinterest in the above described activities or events is dependent uponthe degree to which the hobbyist or sport enthusiast feels connected toor invested in the particular event.

Capital expenditures are involved with holding the above describedevents. One form of capital expenditure involves the money invested byan equity owner to field an entrant in an event, whether the entrant isa sports team in a sporting event, a culinary preparation at a foodcompetition, or an antique item in an antique auction, just to give afew examples. The sum of money invested in certain events can be quitesignificant. Typically, the amount of investment is so large that amajority of the public does not possess the financial resources toparticipate in the role of an equity owner. Those entities, syndicates,and/or individuals that do have such financial resources to serve asequity owners often make the capital investment needed, at least inpart, with the prospect or expectation of realizing a return on theinvestment. That is, events such as the sale of a collectible or theentrance in a sporting competition will typically have a potentialfinancial gain associated with the outcome of the event.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart diagram illustrating a method embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart diagram illustrating another method embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart diagram illustrating another method embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment for electronic devices and computerreadable medium in a computing device network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to novel methods for generatingrevenue for an owner of an entrant to an event, raising funds forcompeting entities and/or generating a public audience's interest inevents by providing remuneration according to a set of business rules toa public participant. Various embodiments can provide for a moreintimate involvement in an event by public participants than is affordedby traditional fan participation. In addition to being a means forproviding financial support to owners of competitors in an event themethod provides owners a way to spread the cost/risk of investmentassociated with an event by generating revenue from non-traditionalsources. In addition to the benefits to the owners and publicparticipants, the invention can benefit the event itself by increasingthe base of support for the event among the public and increaseretailing opportunities connected with various events. Variousembodiments of the invention can facilitate an increase in the fan baseof an event or revenues for the industries surrounding an event. In somerespects, a participant may take a psychological “ownership” in theevent and become more intimate with the occurrence and outcome of theevent.

As used herein, the term “owner” may include individuals, agents workingon behalf of an owner, official representatives, organizations, anownership group (e.g., a syndicate, limited partnership, limitedliability company, etc.), and a minority and/or majority equity owner ofan entrant (e.g., asset, competing entity, or otherwise), among others,that is, or is authorized, to act on behalf of a party having legalright, title or interest in the entrant or prizes, awards, purses,recognition or benefit, etc. paid to the entrant for competing in anevent.

An “entrant”, as used herein, can include an asset such as a sports teamfranchise, horse in an equine event (e.g., a horse racing, jumping,steeple chasing, dressage or other showing event, etc.), a car enteredin an automobile event (e.g., NASCAR race, Indy 500, monster truck,motorcycling, etc.), an amateur sports team (e.g., hockey, football,baseball, basketball, soccer, etc.), an athletic contender for theOlympics (e.g., gymnast, swimmer, skater, etc.), an object of art,and/or an antique item, among others. Embodiments of the invention,however, are not limited to these examples.

To further illustrate, an “entrant” can refer to a competitor in anevent whether the competitor is an individual person, an individualanimal, a team of persons or animals; or an object such as anautomobile, robot, item in a sale, or groupings thereof. Accordingly, asintroduced above, the term “entrant” can include, for example, a horseentered into a horse race, jumping competition, Olympic event, polomatch, horse auction, etc.; amateur or professional football, hockey,baseball, basketball, cricket, jai lai, lacrosse, soccer, etc., team;race car entered into a racing competition (e.g., NASCAR, Indy 500, dragracing), or other competition (e.g., monster truck, motorcycling,motocross); etc.

As used herein, the term “event” includes, without limitation: a solosports contest where an individual is the entrant (eg. horse racing,automobile racing, golf tournament; downhill skiing, water skiing,swimming, tennis, etc.); a team sports contest (eg. football, baseball,basketball, hockey, soccer, etc.); an auction (eg. horse, automobile,art, antique, etc.); or other similar event that will be understood uponreading of the present invention.

The term “event” can further includes a defined portion or grouping ofevents such as a grouping of sports contests or other events. Forexample, an event can include a single competition such as a footballgame and a series of events such as a selected number of football gamesin a football season. An event can also include a portion of a singlecompetition such as the first half or first quarter of a football game,or the first five innings of a baseball game, etc. Likewise, an eventincludes a single horse race and a series of events can include a seriesof horse races (e.g., the Triple Crown, Claiming Crown, all Grade Istakes for a season, etc.). As a further example, an event can include asingle automobile race and a series of races in an automobile racingseries or racing season, (e.g., the previous NASCAR Winston Cup AutoRacing Series). Once again, embodiments of the invention, however, arenot limited to these examples. Other events not specifically statedherein but within the scope of the invention will be apparent afterreading this disclosure.

As used herein, “defining an event” can include selecting a particularevent and/or series of events as well as establishing particularconditions for a fulfillment of the event, e.g., prescribing conditionsof fulfillment on a particular outcome or result of the event. As usedherein, “fulfillment of an event” refers to the completion of the eventin a manner that fulfills the conditions necessary for the entrant totransfer the remuneration to the participant. Thus, by way of exampleand not by way of limitation, defining an event can include selecting aparticular horse race, auto race, sporting competition, etc., and theconditions for fulfillment of the event can include completion of anevent by an entrant such as a horse running in the horse race, a racecar competing an automobile race, etc. Fulfillment of the event can evenfurther prescribe a completion of the event in a certain place offinish, e.g, first place, top three finishers, and/or completion of theevent within a particular time frame (eg. a six furlong horse race inless than 1:09 min) or by a particular margin of victory (eg. a 20 pointspread in a football game). Embodiments of the invention, however, arenot limited to these examples.

A “participant”, as used in this application, can be any member of thepublic at large or any smaller subset thereof As will be explained inmore detail below, a participant pays consideration or accepts to payconsideration to an owner in exchange for receiving a remuneration thatmay be memorialized by a remuneration right.

As used herein, the term “remuneration right” means the right of aparticipant to receive “remuneration” comprising something ofcommercial, emotional, sentimental or other value, upon fulfillment ofthe event by an entrant. Thus, the remuneration associated with aremuneration right includes, for example, the right to some or all ofthe prize money earned by the entrant in the event, a future breedingright to a race horse or other animal competitor, an item used by theentrant during the event (e.g., a horse shoe, steering wheel, jersey,helmet, shoe, etc.). The remuneration associated with the remunerationright can also include a right to various memorabilia of the event(e.g., an autographed photograph of the entrant, a photo of the event, acommemorative ring, a collectible figurine, etc.). Thus, for example,the remuneration right may entitle the participant to some portion of apurse to be paid to a race horse for completing a particular race. Theportion paid to the participant, according to one embodiment, can be apercentage portion of the prize or earnings received by the owner forthe entrant's fulfillment of the event. Additionally, the remunerationright may entitle the participant to receive memorabilia, as describedabove, regardless of the outcome or fulfillment of the event by theentrant.

As used herein, “fulfilling the remuneration right” includes providingthe benefit of the remuneration right, such as prize money, memorabilia,breeding right, etc, to the participant.

As stated above, the owner can make the remuneration available to theparticipant by offering the remuneration to the participant in exchangefor acceptance by agreement of the participant to provide considerationto the owner for the remuneration. The remuneration can be granted inthe form of a right held by the participant until fulfillment of theevent. The right can be memorialized by issuance of “shares”, redeemablecoupons, written contract, etc. In one embodiment, a new unit ofmemorialization can be used that has a new name and memorializes a rightheld as a result of the method of the invention.

In various embodiments, shares can be issued to memorialize theremuneration right granted. The remuneration rights can be split amongdifferent participants. And, an owner may condition the issuance ofshares on receiving consideration for all of the shares offered in agiven pool at a fixed price and/or by auction. Other forms ofconsideration will be apparent to those skilled in the art after readingthe present disclosure and these other forms are included within thescope of the invention. The number of shares to be issued, number ofparticipants, type of offering, or other condition can be controlled bythe owner. In addition, the owner can control whether the price of theshares is fixed, determined by auction, or other means. In the eventthat the shares are offered by auction, in addition to traditionalauctions, it will be appreciated that the shares can also be offeredthrough some type of electronic auction such as the well known eBay.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a method for generating income foran owner of an entrant to an event. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the methodincludes defining the event by the owner in block 110. Defining theevent includes defining the event as has been described above. Thus, forexample, defining the event can include defining a completion of theevent. The particular completion can be a certain placing at the finishand/or the particular completion can be a certain time to finish anevent or a particular spread/margin of victory at the completion of theevent. In some examples, defining the completion of the event caninclude requiring a first place finish in the event.

In block 120, the method further includes offering remuneration. Theremuneration can be granted from the owner to a participant based upon afulfillment of the defined event, as the same has been described above.The remuneration can be granted in exchange for the participantaccepting to give consideration to the owner for receiving theremuneration. The remuneration can entitle the participant to apercentage of a prize awarded to the owner of the entrant for fulfillingthe defined event. In various embodiments the remuneration ismemorialized in the form of shares issued by the owner.

In various embodiments, the defined event is a horse race and theremuneration can entitle the participant to a photographed finish of thehorse race. The photograph can be signed by a jockey of the particularhorse. In various embodiments, the remuneration can entitle theparticipant to a breeding right when the race horse goes to stud.

In the various embodiments, the method further includes fulfilling thedefined event and fulfilling the remuneration right by providingremuneration to the participant.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method embodiment for providing remuneration rightsto a participant for a defined event upon a defined completion of theevent by an entrant. As shown in FIG. 2 the method includes defining theevent by the owner in block 210. Defining the event by the owner caninclude defining the event as the same has been described above. Inblock 220 the method includes electronically offering remunerationmemorialized by a remuneration right. According to various embodiments,the remuneration right can include electronically offering the shares ata fixed price. According to various embodiments, the method can furtherinclude publicly auctioning the shares over the Internet.

The remuneration right can be granted from the owner to a participantbased upon a fulfillment of the defined event. The remuneration rightcan be granted in exchange for the participant accepting to giveconsideration to the owner for receiving the remuneration right. Asshown in block 230, the method includes terminating the remunerationright upon fulfillment of the defined event. And, the method furtherincludes issuing event commemorative items in connection with theremuneration right, as shown in block 240.

By way of illustration and not by way of limitation, several examplesare provided to illustrate the above introduced methods. As a firstexample, an owner of an entrant to an event offers remuneration rightsrepresented by a fixed number of shares. The owner can be the owner of ahorse, for example, Secretariat, and the event can be the KentuckyDerby. According to one method embodiment, an owner may decide that ifthe entrant, Secretariat wins, places, or shows in the horse race, e.g.,finishes in first, second, or third place, then the owner will award acertain percentage, e.g., 10% of the purse money, e.g., remuneration,associated with the entrant's finish to public participants. In thismanner, the owner has defined the event according to the methodembodiment.

Further by way of example, the owner can offer the remuneration in theform of 1000 shares which can be purchased at a fixed price of$10/share. According to the method the public participants will be thosemembers of the public who purchase the 1000 shares at $10/share. Invarious embodiments the owner can condition the offering on selling all1000 offered shares. In this manner the owner has offered remunerationmemorialized by a remuneration right, e.g., shares, where theremuneration right is granted from the owner to a participant based upona fulfillment of the defined event, e.g., win, place, or show. Andfurther, the remuneration right is granted in exchange for theparticipant accepting to give consideration to the owner for receivingthe remuneration right. In addition, the remuneration right may entitlethe participant to remuneration which is not dependent on a fulfillmentof the defined event. For example, according to various methods, theowner can send the shareholders photos of the finish of the raceautographed by the owner and the jockey. Other examples of remunerationassociated with the remuneration right which is not dependent on thefulfillment of the defined event can include a limited edition castfigurine of the horse or a limited edition commemorative cast mint ofsome sort. Embodiments of the invention, however, are not limited tothese examples.

As a variant to this embodiment, the owner may again decide that if theentrant, Secretariat wins, places, or shows in the horse race, e.g.,finishes in first, second, or third place, then the owner will award acertain percentage, e.g., 10% of the purse money, e.g., remuneration,associated with the entrant's finish to public participants. In thismanner, the owner has once again defined the event according to themethod embodiment.

However, in this difference of the embodiment, the owner can offer theremuneration in the form of 1000 shares which can be purchased atauction. According to the method the public participants will be thosemembers of the public who purchase the 1000 shares at auction. Invarious embodiments the owner can again condition the offering onselling all 1000 offered shares. In various embodiments, the shares canbe auctioned electronically over the Internet through an Internetauction site, e.g., an auction site such as that managed by eBay. Inthis manner the owner has offered remuneration memorialized by aremuneration right, e.g., shares, where the remuneration right isgranted from the owner to a participant based upon a fulfillment of thedefined event, e.g., win, place, or show. And further, the remunerationright is granted in exchange for the participant accepting to giveconsideration to the owner for receiving the remuneration right.

In various embodiments the terms of the auction can be defined on theauction site and additional business rules provided by the auction site.In various embodiments each share will entitle the winning biddingentity, e.g., participant, to a 0.1% share of the horse's winnings. Theshares can be auctioned to 1000 separate bidders such that each biddingentity, e.g., participant, is entitled to one share. In variousembodiments, appropriate consideration will be transmitted to thewebsite, its representatives, or the owner by the participant, and theremuneration associated with the remuneration right can be distributedin appropriate percentages to the host of the auction site, theparticipant, etc. Likewise, as previously, the remuneration right mayentitle the participant to remuneration, as described above, which isnot dependent on a fulfillment of the defined event. Further examples ofthe remuneration can include a breeding right when the horse goes tostud.

In various embodiments the remuneration right can be handled as a formof temporal ownership, which can include a legal, physical transfer of aportion of the title until the remuneration right is terminated, or canbe a less tangible psychological ownership interest in the horse.

In various embodiments the remuneration right can be memorialized by anew memorialization mode having a new name (e.g., fanciful, descriptiveor otherwise) which indicates a right obtained according to the methodof the invention. For example, the remuneration right may be referred toas a “JED” or “Onapart” or other tag or label. According to the variousembodiments, the offer of the remuneration right can be conducteddirectly by the owner and/or through an agent, representative, or otherorganization on behalf of the owner of the entrant or other partyholding the right to receive the remuneration or remuneration rightoffered to a participant.

In a further variant of the embodiment, the owner may define the eventas a series of events such that if the entrant, Secretariat wins,places, or shows in a certain number or in each horse race in a seriesof horse races, then the owner will award a certain percentage, e.g.,10% of the purse money, e.g., remuneration, associated with theentrant's finishes to public participants. Further, in variousembodiments, an owner of an entrant may select to award some type ofpermanent ownership or shares in an entrant, as remuneration associatedwith a remuneration right, to a participant who successfully bids forremuneration rights in a selected number of pre-definable, possiblyconsecutive bids. In other words, the owner may pre-define that aftersix consecutive successful bids by one participant in a single entrant,then the successful participant will receive special rights, such as theaforementioned breeding, tickets to an upcoming event, or some form ofpermanent ownership interest. As one of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate this methodology can provide incentive for higher bidding inthe auction and/or fixed price remuneration right examples. As a furthervariant, the owner, as defined herein, can track a number and monetaryvalue of purchases associated with the entrant in the event by aparticipant, and allocate a number of basis points to the participantbased on the number and monetary value of purchases made by theparticipant. In this example, the owner can select to allocate shares inthe remuneration right to the participant according to the number ofbasis points accumulated by a particular participant. In all of theseexamples, the owner has once again defined the event and offered aremuneration right according to the method embodiment. As defined above,in various embodiments the owner can be owner is a minority shareholderof the entrant, an LLC, a syndicate, etc., and the remuneration rightcan be offered by an offering agency on behalf of the owner.

As another example of the introduced method embodiments, the owner canbe the owner of a race car, for example, the Penzoil car of the Penzoilracing team, and the event can be a NASCAR auto race such as the Daytona500 Race in Talledaga, Fla. According to one method embodiment, anowner, as the same has been defined herein, may decide that if theentrant, the Penzoil car, finishes in first, second, or third place thenthe owner will award a certain percentage, e.g., 10% or any otherselectable percentage, of the purse money, e.g., remuneration,associated with the entrant's finish to public participants. In thismanner, the owner has defined the event according to the methodembodiment.

Further by way of example, the owner can offer the remuneration in theform of 1000 shares which can be purchased at a fixed price, e.g.,$10/share as described above or any other selectable fixed price.According to the method the public participants will be those members ofthe public who purchase the 1000 shares at the fixed price. As inpreviously mentioned embodiments the owner can condition the offering onselling all 1000 offered shares. Once again in this example the ownerhas offered remuneration memorialized by a remuneration right, e.g.,shares, where the remuneration right is granted from the owner to aparticipant based upon a fulfillment of the defined event, e.g.,finishing the auto race in first, second, or third place. Theremuneration right is granted in exchange for the participant acceptingto give consideration to the owner for receiving the remuneration right.In addition, the remuneration right may entitle the participant toremuneration which is not dependent on a fulfillment of the definedevent. For example, according to various methods, the remuneration rightmay entitle the participant to an article from the particular race carand/or article from the driver of the race car upon completion of theNASCAR race. By way of example and not by way of limitation, the examplearticles can include a tire removed from the particular race car, aseatbelt or portion thereof from the race car, a fender from the racecar, the race car driver's helmet, etc. Other examples of remunerationassociated with the remuneration right can include photos of the autorace, including the finish photo, photos of the race car and driver,which can be autographed by the owner and the driver, etc. Otherexamples of remuneration associated with the remuneration right which isnot dependent on the fulfillment of the defined event can include alimited edition cast figurine of the entrant, a photograph of the event,a piece of jewelry commemorating the event, etc. Embodiments of theinvention, however, are not limited to these examples.

As described above, a variant to this method embodiment includes theowner deciding that if the entrant, the Penzoil car Secretariat finishesin first, second, or third place then the owner will award a certainpercentage, e.g., 10% of the race prize money, e.g., remuneration,associated with the car's finish to public participants. In this manner,the owner has once again defined the event according to the methodembodiment.

However, in this difference of the embodiment owner can offer theremuneration in the form of 1000 shares which can be purchased atauction. According to the method the public participants will be thosemembers of the public who purchase the 1000 shares at auction. Invarious embodiments the owner can again condition the offering onselling all 1000 offered shares. In various embodiments, the shares canbe auctioned electronically over the Internet through an Internetauction site according to the various embodiments described above.

That is, in various embodiments the terms of the auction can be definedon the auction site and additional business rules provided by theauction site. In various embodiments each share will entitle winningbidding entity, e.g., participant, to a 0.1% share of the owner'swinnings. The shares can be auctioned to 1000 separate bidders such thateach bidding entity, e.g., participant, is entitled to one share.Alternatively, the 1000 shares can be auctioned in blocks with more thanone share granted to the winning bidding entities. Alternatively, all1000 shares can be granted or to the highest bidding entity. Embodimentsof the invention are not so limited. In various embodiments, appropriateconsideration can be transmitted to the website or its representativesby the participant, or high bidder, and the remuneration associated withthe remuneration right can be distributed in appropriate percentages tothe host of the auction site, the owner of the Penzoil car, etc.Alternatively, the owner can distribute the remuneration associated withthe remuneration right, via electronic funds transfer or other means,directly to the participants and a service or handling fee can bedistributed to the auction site.

As described above in various embodiments the owner may define the eventas a series of events such that if the entrant, the Penzoil race carfinishes in first, second, or third place in a certain number of autoraces in a series, e.g., the previously referred to Winston Cup Series,or alternatively finishes in first place a the top of the winnings rankat the conclusion to a season of the Winston Cup Series, then the ownerwill award a certain percentage, e.g., 10% of the Series prize money,e.g., remuneration, associated with the Penzoil car's finishes to publicparticipants. In this manner, the owner has once again defined the eventaccording to the method embodiment.

As yet another example of the introduced method embodiments, the ownercan be the owner of a professional sports team franchise. In theseexamples, the entrant is the sports team. However, embodiments are notso limited and the entrant can also include a particular player and/orgroup of players on a particular sports team. As one of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate upon reading this disclosure the sports teamcan include an NFL football team, a major league baseball team, an NHLhockey team, a professional golfer in the PGA, an amateur sports team,etc. Again, embodiments are not limited to these examples. To take theexample of an NFL football team (e.g., the Washington Redskins), theowner, as the same has been described above (e.g., minority, majority,syndicate, partnership entity or otherwise) can define an event such aswinning a particular football game such as a season match up between theWashington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys, winning a collection orgrouping of particular football games in the season for the WashingtonRedskins, the Redskins making the playoffs, and/or winning the SuperBowl. In this manner, the owner has defined the event according to themethod embodiment.

The owner can further decide to award a certain remuneration associatedwith a remuneration right upon a fulfillment of the owner defined eventto public participants. As described in the above examples, the ownercan memorialize the remuneration in the form of shares which can bepurchased at a fixed price and/or auctioned. By way of illustration andnot by way of limitation, the owner of a football team can define anevent as a completion of the football season, regardless of the team'sfinish in the standings at the conclusion of the season. Additionally,the owner can offer remuneration associated with a remuneration right,memorialized by shares or otherwise as follows. The owner can decide toauction the helmets of his or her players, as remuneration associatedwith remuneration right, before a season starts. For example, the ownerof the Denver Broncos can decide to auction the rights to the helmets ofthe 53 player team roster in August prior to the commencement of theseason.

The 53 successful bidders, e.g., participants, (one helmet per biddingentity, although embodiments are not so limited to this example) will beparticularly interested to follow the Broncos football season, possiblypurchasing more tickets to games, memorabilia and/or other team apparel,in anticipation that the better the Bronco perform over the course ofthe season, then the more valuable the helmets will be after the seasonhas finished. In other words, if the 2004/2005 Bronco team compete inand win the 2005 Super Bowl, then the 53 bidders will receive a helmetfrom one of the players (certain helmets may command a higher bid pricethan others) of the Bronco 2005 Super Bowl winning team, which may haveconsiderable value to certain sports memorabilia collectors. Accordingto the method the public participants will be those members of thepublic who purchase the 53 remuneration rights. As one of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate the purchase consideration received by theowner in exchange for the remuneration rights can serve to add revenuesto the owner's sports club and/or can be allocated for contribution to acharitable organization such as the United Way. In either manner, thepurchase consideration received by the owner in exchange for theremuneration rights bears the potential of reducing the owner's risk byincreasing revenues, and increasing fan support and interest.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the example givenhere can further be applied in the amateur sports team setting. Forexample, the athletic department of a local high school can similarlyauction the helmets of its football team roster, as remunerationassociated with a remuneration right, for an event defined as theconclusion of the high school football team's season. Again, fan supportand associated revenues can be stimulated through such a method as teamsupporters follow their local high school's hopes for winning the statechampionship.

To give another example on a variant of the method embodiment, the ownerof a soccer team, e.g., entrant, competing in a season of soccermatches, e.g., series of events, can offer remuneration associated withremuneration rights as follows. The purchase of the remuneration rights,with any particular associated remuneration, can further include therequirement for the bidder entity, e.g., potential participant, topredict the performance of the soccer team in advance, as part of thecriteria for deciding whom among the participant remuneration rightpurchasing pool will receive remuneration at the conclusion of thedefined event. In other words, once a target price is reached for theauction or sale of the remuneration rights, those who were successful inpurchasing the remuneration rights will be scrutinized further by theirpredictions on the performance of the soccer team. For example, 100participants, e.g., highest bidders, may purchase remuneration rights bypaying $1000 each as consideration to the owner in exchange for aremuneration right. Of those 100 participants the seven who successfullypredicted the team's 12-4 season record and remained tied for theirposition as winners of the remuneration right auction purchase andprediction format, following all other possible variations for tiebreakers, will receive the remuneration as defined in the terms of theremuneration right auction. In another variant of this embodiment, theremuneration can be determined by a combination of successful biddingand achievement of a certain performance standard such as once the teamwins 12 games or once one of the players achieves a certain score offinish. This can include an NFL team player breaking 1000 yards rushingin the season or other similar pinnacle achievements.

From reading these examples, one of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate the method embodiments described herein can be applied to anumber of very diverse events. By way of example and not by way oflimitation, other events can include a culinary contest, an art orantique auction, an agricultural event, a livestock event, a scienceproject event, and a domesticated animal show. Further the entrants andassociated events can include an Olympic hopeful athlete in an Olympicqualifying competition, a diver or swimmer in a diving or swimming meet,and a golfer in a golf tournament, among others. Embodiments of theinvention are not limited to these examples.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method embodiment for increasing fan support in asporting contest. As shown in FIG. 3, the method includes selecting asporting contest for increased fan support, as shown in block 310. Inblock 320 the method includes defining an event associated with thesporting contest. Defining an event includes defining an event as thesame has been described above. In block 330 the method can includeoffering remuneration, to a public audience, associated with an entrantin the sporting contest based on a fulfillment of the defined event. Theremuneration can be memorialized in the form of a share. The methodfurther includes receiving consideration bids from the public audiencein response to offering the remuneration, as shown in block 340. Inblock 350 the method further includes accepting a received bid inexchange for granting the remuneration right. In block 360 the methodincludes memorializing the remuneration right. And, in block 370, themethod includes awarding a prize associated with the remuneration rightbased on the fulfillment of the defined event.

In various embodiments the method further includes measuring interest inthe sporting contest among the public audience based on an analysis ofthe received consideration bids. In some embodiments this includesevaluating a change in an interest in the sporting event among thepublic audience based on a comparison of the measured interest againstprevious event offering responses, attendance at events or other methodused to determine fan support of an event.

Various method embodiments can be performed by physical means, e.g.,using brokers to sell shares, auction houses to conduct auctions, etc.However, one advantage to certain embodiments of the invention is theuse of an electronic medium such as the Internet. Method embodimentswhich use the Internet can facilitate drawing participants from largerpools as well as affording participants to the ability to participate ina larger pool of remuneration right offerings. Also, various sequencesof the method embodiments can be performed by physical means and othersby electronic means. Additionally, the method embodiments which use anelectronic medium can provide for rapid collection, storage and analysisof data, whether the data relates to information on owners,participants, events, entrants, results, bid prices, etc.

Thus, the methods described above and herein can be performed bysoftware (e.g. computer executable instructions) operable on systems anddevices shown herein or otherwise. The embodiments of the invention,however, are not limited to any particular operating environment or tosoftware written in a particular programming language. Unless explicitlystated, the method embodiments described herein are not constrained to aparticular order or sequence. Additionally, some of the described methodembodiments or elements thereof can occur or be performed at the samepoint in time.

As illustrated above, in the various embodiments the event can be asporting event and the entrant can be a competing entity in the sportingevent. Embodiments, however, are not limited to sporting events. Thatis, as mentioned above, while the entrant can be a competing entity,e.g., a professional sports team franchise, the entrant can further besome other form of asset or work product, e.g., a culinary preparation,an artwork (e.g., a screen play, movie, scripts, literary work,sculpture, among others), an agricultural product (e.g., tomatoes,watermelon, and/or pumpkins, among others), livestock (e.g. hogs andcattle, among others), a science project (e.g., an entry in a new formsof solar powered vehicles contest), and a domesticated animal (e.g. aparticular dog entered in the Westminster Kennel Dog Show). Embodimentsof the invention are not limited to these examples.

The event can be a sporting event or otherwise where the event includesa basketball game, a national association of stock car auto racing(NASCAR) race, a hockey game, a horse race, a swim meet, a divingcompetition, a golf tournament, a football game, a soccer match, and/ora baseball game, among others. These examples do not provide anexhaustive list and embodiments are not limited to the examplesprovided.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment for electronic devices and computerreadable medium in a computing device network 400. The electronicdevices and computer readable medium in the computing device network 400can electronically perform the methods described herein. The embodimentof FIG. 4 illustrates a network 400 that includes an electroniccomputing device, e.g., server 402. The server 402 includes a processor405 coupled to a memory and/or database, e.g., computer readable medium407. The server 402 can further include a display 408 and one or moreinput/output (I/O) devices (not shown) as the same are known andunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art, e.g., a mouse, keyboard,touch panel, etc. Processor 405, memory 407, and display 408 can includeany type of processor, memory, and display capability in the art ofcomputing.

As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the server 402 can be connected toa number of additional electronic devices, shown as 404-1, 404-2, . . ., 404-N, such as remote computing devices. The designator “N” isintended to indicate that any number of remote devices can be connectedto the server 402 over a network 400. The remote devices 404-1, 404-2, .. . , 404-N can similarly include processor 401, memory 403, and display411 capabilities, as well as I/O devices. The server 402 and/or remotedevices 404-1, 404-2, . . . , 404-N are capable of including programinstructions/software (e.g., computer executable instructions) to causea server 402 or other devices 404-1, 404-2, . . . , 404-N to performparticular functions, such as the methods described herein. As shown inthe embodiment of FIG. 4, devices 404-1, 404-2, . . . , 404-N can coupleto the server 402 through a network medium 409-1. The network medium409-1 through which the devices 404-1, 404-2, . . . , 404-N can coupleto the server 402 include a number of medium types. For example, thenetwork medium 409-1 can include a local area network (LAN), e.g. anEthernet network, a wide area network (WAN), a wireless local areanetwork (WLAN), the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and/or theInternet using transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP).Embodiments of the invention are not so limited to these examples andcan include combinations of these networks connecting through gateways,hubs, switches, routers, service switching points (SSPs), servicecontrol point (SCP) databases, signal transfer points (STPs), mobileswitching centers (MSCs), and the like as the same are known andunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Networks, as usedherein, can include wireless networks as can be accessed by cell phones,multifunction handheld devices (PDAs and Blackberries), and the like.Wireless networks can include Global System for Mobile communications(GSM) networks and associated protocols, American National StandardsInstitute (ANSI) networks and associated protocols, Public WirelessLocal Area Networks (PWLANs) including Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi)networks and associated protocols. Thus, devices described herein can becoupled in either direct hardwired fashion, e.g. using copper, coaxialcable, optical fiber connections, and hybrid fiber-coax connection,and/or indirectly in a wireless fashion using remote electromagneticsignal transmission in the radio or microwave frequencies, e.g., RF.

Network 400 illustrates that the above described components can coupleto additional servers and/or computing devices, 406-1, 406-2, . . . ,406-M, over a network medium 409-2 as the same has been described above.The designator “M” is intended to indicate that any number of additionalservers and/or computing devices can be connected to the server 402 in asingle network or combination of networks 400. Such additional serversand/or computing devices, 406-1, 406-2, . . . , 406-M, can be maintainedby other organizations, or entities. The additional servers and systems,406-1, 406-2, . . . , 406-M, can include core databases accessible bythe server 402 according to definable access rights. The additionalservers and systems, 406-1, 406-2, . . . , 406-M, can include databasesand executable instructions or programs to operate on data, hostwebsites, and can possess PSTN processing and routing capabilities orother network connectivity as described above. The additional serversand systems, 406-1, 406-2, . . . , 406-M, can include proprietarydatabases, data modules, and software systems maintained by a thirdparty, such as a third party Internet auction site.

The server 402, the number of remote devices 404-1, 404-2, . . . ,404-N, and the additional servers and systems, 406-1, 406-2, . . . ,406-M, can all include computer readable medium havingcomputer-executable instructions. These computer readable medium includesuch devices as a disk drive for reading data storage media, e.g. acompact disc, and/or computer readable medium such as random accessmemory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM), non-volatile, optical, or anyother type of memory storage medium.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the server 402 innetwork 400 can include program instructions for defining an event andoffering remuneration associated with a remuneration right to one ormore participants. In one embodiment, the memory 407 of the server 402includes a database having one or more participant files. Theparticipant file can include a remuneration right associated with one ormore particular entrants connected to an event. And, as mentioned above,the remuneration rights can be electronically memorialized as shares ina participant file. The one or more participant files are displayable ona remote device, e.g., 404-1, having a graphical user interface, e.g.,display 411. According to the method embodiments described above, aremote device 404-1 can be used by a potential participant to enter abid, e.g., in an electronic auction setting, or to accept an offer forremuneration associated with a remuneration right. For example, theremote device 404-1 can be coupled on-line to the server 402 and/or caninteract with a third party Internet auction site, e.g., on server 406-1to enter a bid or to accept an offer for remuneration associated with aremuneration right.

Embodiments include a program instructions executable on the network 400for tracking the remuneration right and tracking an outcome of theevent. In various embodiments, the event includes an event selected fromthe group of a thoroughbred horse race, a match between two sportsteams, an auto race, and an art auction. However, these examples are notexhaustive and embodiments of the invention are not limited to the same.As mentioned above, program instructions are not limited to a programwritten in any particular language. Nor is the program limited to anyparticular operating environment. Embodiments of the programinstructions can record a fixed percentage of a prize, financial reward,or otherwise, associated with a fulfillment of an owner defined event,as remuneration associated with a remuneration right. As described inthe methods above, the remuneration right can be electronically offeredup for auction bidding or fixed price purchase in connection with anentrant in a given event. Embodiments of the program instructions canexecute to allocate the remuneration right, memorializing the fixedpercentage remuneration, into a number of shares. The programinstructions can further execute to distribute the number of sharesamong appropriate participant files. In various embodiments, the programinstructions can execute to issue certification, documentation, andmemorabilia, which is not dependent on the fulfillment of the definedevent, according to the remuneration right in a given participant file.

Thus, according to various embodiments, the network 400 includes programinstructions which can execute to define an event and offer remunerationassociated with a remuneration right to one or more participants. Theprogram instructions can execute to store the remuneration rights in adatabase 407 of the server 402 and/or elsewhere in the network 400. Asone of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate upon reading thisdisclosure a database having one or more participant files, as well asthe program instructions described herein, can be located in one orseveral locations in a distributed computing device network 400. Asdescribed above, the number of remote devices, 404-1, 404-2, . . . ,404-N, can similarly include program instructions which can execute toenable access the server 402 and its one or more participant files. Invarious embodiments, the remote devices, 404-1, 404-2, . . . , 404-N,server 402, and/or additional servers, 406-1, 406-2, . . . , 406-M, caninclude program instructions which can execute to grant access to anInternet auction site service associated with the method embodiments andto grant access to a particular participant file in the database 407 ofthe server 402 based on a subscription service.

In various embodiments the program instructions can execute to calculatea fixed price for a remuneration right based on a number of criteria.The number of criteria can include a market value of the entrant to anevent, a set of odds associated with an outcome of the event, and/or apotential financial gain associated with the outcome of the event. Theprogram instructions can execute to allocate the remuneration right to aparticipant based on the participant's involvement in a number of eventsaccording to the method embodiments described above. For example, theprogram instructions can execute to track a number and monetary valuesof one or more purchases associated with various events and record thisinformation to an appropriate participant file. The program instructionscan execute to allocate a remuneration, represented as a number ofshares or otherwise, to a participant based on one or more thresholds,e.g., a certain number of purchases or a certain monetary value of thosepurchases being attained. Additionally, as described in the methodembodiments above, the program instructions can execute to grant aremuneration right to a participant based on attaining a number ofprevious purchases or successful bids for purchase of remunerationrights in connections with previous events. To further illustrate, theprogram instructions can include a definable set of business rules whichcan be executed in connection with the program instructions to allocateand record a number of basis points to a participant file based on thenumber and monetary value of purchases associated with the participantfile. The program instruction can accordingly execute to sharesassociated with a remuneration right to a given participant fileaccording to the number of basis points in the given participant file.

Additionally, program instructions can execute to market additionalremuneration rights associated with other related or non-related eventsto participants. Likewise, the program instructions can execute tomarket retail items associated a given event, the entrant in the event,and/or other related or non-related entrants and events. That is, theprogram instructions can execute to market additional eventcommemorative items, apparel, etc. to participants.

According to various embodiments, the program instruction provided tothe network 400 can execute to track an event. That is, the programinstructions can execute to receive data from additional third partysources, whether newswire and media coverage, advertising, event hostorganizations or otherwise, in order to process the results of anentrant in an event and perform associated action based thereon. Forexample, the program instructions can execute to fulfill theremuneration right by providing the remuneration associated with theremuneration right to the participant. These embodiments can includeproviding the remuneration via electronic fund transfer (EFT) to a bankaccount provided by the participant and/or providing the remuneration toan Internet auction site to handle distribution to the participant. Asnoted above, the terms of fulfilling the remuneration right may beestablished on the Internet auction site. Embodiments of the inventionare not limited to these examples and one of ordinary skill in the artwill appreciate other suitable means, electronically or otherwise, tofulfill the remuneration right to a participant based on a fulfillmentof the defined event by an entrant to the event. Additionally, theprogram instructions can execute to terminate the remuneration rightupon fulfillment of the remuneration right. By way of example and not byway is of limitation, this can include the program instructionsexecuting to record the fulfillment of the remuneration right, havingpaid appropriate remuneration to the participant, and to record atermination of the remuneration right in the database 407 of the server.

In various method embodiments, as described above, the programinstructions can execute to record an actual legal or physical transferof an ownership interest in the entrant to a participant as part offulfilling the remuneration right. Embodiments of the invention are notso limited. Embodiments of the invention thus include programs oncomputer readable mediums which are executable to cause a device toperform a method.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that anyarrangement calculated to achieve the same techniques can be substitutedfor the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to coverany and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments of theinvention.

It is to be understood that the above description has been made in anillustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combination of theabove embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically describedherein will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing theabove description. The scope of the various embodiments of the inventionincludes any other applications in which the above structures andmethods are used. Therefore, the scope of various embodiments of theinvention should be determined with reference to the appended claims,along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims areentitled.

In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are groupedtogether in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining thedisclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the embodiments of the invention use morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than allfeatures of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claimsare hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate embodiment.

1. A computer readable medium having program instructions to cause adevice to perform a method for providing remuneration rights from anowner to a participant for an event upon a defined fulfillment of theevent by an entrant to the event, comprising: defining the event by anowner of the entrant; electronically offering remuneration rights fromthe owner to a member of the public in exchange for consideration andconditioned upon fulfillment of the defined event by the entrant; themember of the public becoming the participant by electronicallyaccepting the offered remuneration right; and providing considerationelectronically from the participant to the owner.
 2. The medium of claim1, wherein the method further includes: fulfilling the defined event bythe entrant; and awarding remuneration associated with the remunerationright to the participant.
 3. The medium of claim 1, wherein the entrantis a particular race car, the defined event is an automobile race andthe event is fulfilled upon completion of the automobile race by theparticular race car.
 4. The medium of claim 3, wherein the remunerationright entitles the participant to an article from the particular racecar upon completion of the automobile race.
 5. The medium of claim 1,wherein the owner is a minority shareholder of the entrant.
 6. Themedium of claim 1, wherein the remuneration right is offered by anoffering agency on behalf of the owner.
 7. A computer readable mediumhaving program instructions to cause a device to perform a method forincreasing fan support in a sporting contest, comprising: defining anevent associated with the sporting contest; electronically offering aremuneration right, to a public audience, associated with an entrant inthe sporting contest based on a fulfillment of the defined event;receiving consideration bids electronically from the public audience inresponse to offering the remuneration right; accepting a received bid inexchange for granting the remuneration right; memorializing theremuneration right; and awarding a prize associated with theremuneration right based on the fulfillment of the defined event.
 8. Themethod of claim 7, further including measuring interest in the sportingcontest among the public audience based on an analysis of the receivedconsideration bids.
 9. The method of claim 7, further includingevaluating a change in an interest in the sporting event among thepublic audience based on a comparison of the measured interest againstprevious event offering responses.
 10. A computer readable medium havingprogram instructions to cause a device to perform a method forgenerating income for an owner of an entrant to an event, comprising:defining the event by the owner; and electronically offeringremuneration memorialized by a remuneration right, the remunerationright granted from the owner to a participant based upon a fulfillmentof the defined event, wherein the remuneration right is granted inexchange for the participant accepting to give consideration to theowner for receiving the remuneration right.
 11. The medium of claim 10,wherein the method further includes: fulfilling the defined event; andfulfilling the remuneration right by providing the remunerationassociated with the remuneration right to the participant.
 12. Themedium of claim 10, further including instructions to electronicallyoffer the remuneration right for bidding to a public audience over theInternet.
 13. The medium of claim 12, further including instructions toelectronically receive consideration bids from the public audience overthe Internet.
 14. The medium of claim 10, further including instructionsto memorialize the remuneration right by defining shares associated withthe remuneration right.
 15. The medium of claim 14, wherein definingshares includes defining per share a percentage award of prize moneyassociated a particular outcome for the event.
 16. The medium of claim10, wherein defining the event includes selecting a particular horserace, a particular horse as the entrant, and a particular completion ofthe horse race by the particular horse.
 17. The medium of claim 10,wherein defining the event includes selecting a particular automobilerace, a particular car as the entrant, and a particular completion ofthe automobile race by the particular car.
 18. The medium of claim 10,wherein defining the event includes defining an event selected from thegroup of: an amateur or professional sports contest; a culinary contest;an art or antique auction; an agricultural event; a livestock event; ascience project event; a domesticated animal event. a basketball game; anational association of stock car auto racing (NASCAR) race; a hockeygame; a horse race; a culinary competition; an art competition; ascience fair competition; a swim meet; a diving competition; a dog show;an art show; a golf tournament; a football game; a soccer match; abaseball game; and an Olympic meet/tryout.
 19. The medium of claim 10,further including instructions to award the remuneration memorialized bythe remuneration right to the participant based on the fulfillment ofthe defined event.
 20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the defined eventincludes an NFL superbowl, and wherein awarding the remunerationincludes awarding helmets from a winning team in the NFL superbowl. 21.The medium of claim 10, further including the remuneration right havinga remuneration to the participant independent of the fulfillment of thedefined outcome.
 22. The medium of claim 10, wherein the method furtherincludes calculating probabilities of receiving a return on investmentin the event.
 23. The medium of claim 10, wherein the method furtherincludes: calculating a fixed price for the remuneration right based ona number of criteria, and wherein the number of criteria include: amarket value of the entrant; a probability associated with thefulfillment of the defined outcome; and a potential financial gainassociated with the fulfillment of the defined outcome.
 24. The mediumof claim 10, wherein the method further includes issuing eventcommemorative items in connection with granted remuneration rights. 25.The medium of claim 10, wherein the method further includes:distributing financial gains awarded based on the outcome of the eventaccording to granted remuneration rights; and marketing additionalremuneration rights for a percentage interest in other awards associatedwith entities participating in other events.
 26. The medium of claim 10,wherein the method further includes marketing additional eventcommemorative items associated with other entities participating inother events.